


Knowing you, Knowing me

by talia_0306



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Evil, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Family Drama, Hogwarts Sixth Year, Romance, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 10:01:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29757939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talia_0306/pseuds/talia_0306
Summary: In the summer of her sixth year, Hermione Granger  discovers a secret that will completely change her life. What happens when you discover that you have lived in a world that is not yours? What happens when that heat in your body that has always tried to get out has a chance to break free now?Hermione will have to start the school year by starting to get to know herself again, but she won't be the only one to do it.Draco Malfoy still couldn't believe that his life had changed in such a short time. Too many difficult choices on his shoulders, and in all of this was added his best friend's sister.Will he have to reevaluate his life, and begin to know a new part of himself?
Relationships: Daphne Greengrass/Theodore Nott, Harry Potter & Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	1. Introduction.

_**East wing Nott Manor, Lowestoft coasts** _   
_**August 9, 1996** _

Hermione tossed and turned in that bed, still unable to process what she had been told. It had been days or weeks that she hadn't heard from her friends. She was locked in that room she had been given, on a bed too big to fit one person, and with far too expensive objects surrounding her.  
It all happened so quickly: one moment she was with her parents just back from a trip, and the next she was surrounded by Aurors who asked to follow her urgently. Hermione still remembers that moment, she remembers the hug from her "parents", the fear that something had happened to Ron and Harry after last year. Apparently she didn't always have to worry about others, because now she was the center of the matter. It was something worse, much worse.  
Her world was destroyed with mere words, and how could she possibly believe those words, like her?  
Her parents were not her real parents. How could she really believe that  
those who helped her face every single moment of her life were nothing more than two strangers, two people randomly picked out of 65 million inhabitants in Great Britain.

"It was done to protect you Hermione, you understand .."

Protect me? From what? Why? How could you do this to me?

  
_**North wing Nott Manor, Lowestoft coasts** _

“Mother I told you we couldn't do that. Now that stupid girl has been locked in her room for days, and we haven't achieved anything. "  
Nott Sr. stated in a harsh voice towards his mother, totally opposed to her choices.

“You also know we couldn't wait any longer. He's back, and the situation is getting worse and worse. They are his first target, and I can't stand still while that madman decides to kill my niece! "  
  
Mrs Nott got up from the sofa and went to the stairs.  
“I won't leave that girl alone for one more minute. You continue to do what you always do, that is nothing and at least try not to let Theodore come back here for any reason, but I will go to save this family. "  
so she saying she left her son alone in that room heading to the room of her niece of her, his little Hermione.

  
_**The Burrow** _

“I don't know Ron, it's weird that Hermione doesn't show up for more than two weeks. He said not to worry about her, and that everything was fine but is it weird? " One of Harry Potter's flaws is that he could never sit still. He went back and forth without ever stopping, watching his best friend eat yet another cookie. “Do you think we should contact her again? Did we do something wrong? Did you say something wrong to her? " she stopped watching Ronald gape at another cookie, and began his rounds again.  
"Harry, my friend" said Ron swallowing the cookie "you are too paranoid, you know?" He was on vacation with his parents, he will want to enjoy this last month with them I think "  
"Yes you are right. Pass me a biscuit, and close your mouth while you chew "  
The chosen one did not stop thinking about his best friend that day. He used to send Hermione photographs, souvenirs and letters upon letters to talk about her summer, but all that had come in those last two weeks was a note, in a few words, that Harry kept reading.

  
_“I'm home, everything is fine. I'll spend more time with my parents, see you at Hogwarts._  
 _-Hermione "_

  
He hadn't even asked how they were, and he hadn't even added that stupid heart next to her name like every time.  
Hermione, what happened?


	2. my little Hermione

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooo,  
> first of all i want to say, again, that this is my first story and moreover english it's not my first language.  
> So if you see some mistakes, please tell me.
> 
> Hope you enjoy my story

_**East wing Nott Manor, Lowestoft coasts**_  


Hermione heard someone knock, before the door to that room, which she dared not call hers, was opened. This time she wasn't a house elf with his food, it was a reassuring voice. A woman entered the semi-dark room, trying to make as little noise as possible. She closed the door behind her, and after a deep breath she turned to the girl, showing off her best smile.

She looked away from her and brought him back to the windows overlooking the coast.

"Hermione, honey, I'm the grandmother." Anastasia immediately cursed herself for what she said noticing the features of her niece's face stiffen at hearing that word. She approached slowly making her long black dress rustle “I'm sorry I'm Anastasia, maybe it's better this way. Can I sit down honey? " she said pointing to the bed.

Hermione brought her knees to her chest and nodded slightly.

At that moment she hated herself. She didn't want to talk to anyone, she just wanted to go home, but when that woman walked into that room she felt warmth under her skin, something she hadn't felt in a while. Apparently she was her grandmother, if the stupid story they made up was true.

Anastasia tried to caress her hair, but with a sudden gesture that frightened herself, she was badly dodged her arm, which she returned to her mistress's lap.

"I know how you feel .." that sentence was so stupid, but she didn't know how to start the conversation.

"I don't think so" was the first time Anastasia had heard her speak, ignoring her screams during the night. She was cold and even a little scared but she wouldn't be put off.

"Can we try to speak civilly honey?" she tried her again.

"Is there something civil about this, grandmother ?!" the younger said using a tone almost of contempt in the last word.

"You're right there isn't, but if only you ..." that was the classic straw that broke the camel's back.

“If I what? What if I listened to the many lies you told me? How could I?!"

She could mask the tears on her face thanks to the darkness in that room.

"If you let me talk Hermione," the older one said trying to control the trembling of her voice. “I know it's hard for you honey. You're not the only one who has to face ... "

"Am I not the only one now ?! Mrs. Nott you don't know in the least what I've been through. I was snatched from my parents and you filled me with bullshit for two weeks. Does she realize where I am right now, or does she at least know who the hell my best friend is? Yes, Harry Potter, and from what I know son of him, or whatever you want me to believe, my father has the goal of killing him, of killing people like me. Isn't "mudbloos" familiar to you? As far as I'm concerned it might as well be a plan to lure Harry here and… ”All the anger she had inside her was ready to explode.

"Thats enough. "The other woman's tone of voice had changed completely, it was not sweet as before but severe. “You don't understand anything girl. If we had wanted to attract that friend of yours here we would have done it on the second day, but as you can see, he is not here. I don't love my son's choices either, but you could listen and try to understand what happened. ”She tried to relax before continuing the conversation and she took the girl's hand and squeezed it.

“Hermione, you've been part of this family forever. We have always watched you from afar, we have protected you from afar .. "

Hermione burst into tears, unable to control her emotions anymore. She didn't know what to feel, she didn't know whether to trust her heart or her mind. There was always this familiar feeling inside her, that something that screamed at her to trust but then there was her mind that kept repeating to her how much all this was a huge madness. "Y-you have abandoned me, you are not mine ... you are not my family"

It was Hermione's numerous sobs that warmed the heart of the woman who came even closer "It's difficult, but we can deal with it together, I can tell you everything. I know you're smart Hermione, just listen to me and then you decide what to do okay, please. "  
The girl could only nod to the woman's pleas.

Anastasia held out her hand, which Hermione shook and together they got out of bed.

"I want to show you something as I begin my story, would you like to follow me?"

and so the two women left that room which was far too dark and narrow and walked down numerous stairs until they entered a huge lighted room which overlooked the north sea coast. On the way Hermione had looked around her, noticing the numerous paintings that began to whisper among themselves as she passed; she noticed the large corridors with numerous rooms, and also a living room with a huge crystal chandelier. What shocked her the most was when she met an house elf never seen before that moment, who after noticing her immediately made a bow and jumping for happiness said "Mistress Hermione, how nice to see you again"

It was from then on that her grandmother was forced to drag her. Mistress? See you again? What the hell did that house elf say? Did he already know me?

To bring it back to reality was Anastasia who, after taking a book placed on a table perhaps too dusty, approached the window that surrounds the room. “It was your mother who wanted this room, do you know? It was a warehouse, but she decided to change it and add some things .. "

"She is not my mother ..."

“Hermione you said to let me talk. Come close to me, look what a beautiful view. "

she approached slowly, always keeping a small distance between the two, and motioned for the woman to continue.

“As I was saying, it was your mother who changed this room. She said this castle was too dark. She wanted a room to be able to look at the stars, no one knows why that woman was so obsessed with the stars ... "  
“Um, was that her? Hermione asked in a voice so low it was hard for her to hear too.

“Oh honey, your mother Diana, she died a few months after giving birth to you. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. She was such a difficult woman to understand, but she was good, never think that she did all this with wickedness, it took me some time to understand it, but she did it for you. "  
"what happened?" the thought of her that her mother was dead saddened her for a second, but then she immediately thought that her mother was called Jane and was at her house waiting for her. A Muggle house, not a castle on the coast.

The woman smiled and pointed to the two armchairs where she sat. "Sit down Hermione, Grandma is going to tell you a story"

  
“Your parents met one day on one of your father's trips to France, and it took months before your mother agreed to go out with her. They were so different, in everything. Your mother wasn't meant for this life, she didn't even want to get married. She wanted to disappear from the magical world, I don't know why, there are many secrets of Diana that I still haven't been able to understand. She wanted to go to the Muggle world, and study the stars, how strange. When she became pregnant, it was a blow to her heart. She was happy to have children, she didn't hate you, but you know the rules of our world, that means getting married. Your father was happy, he could marry the woman he loved, purebred and from a good family. He was blinded by the love that he did not know about your mother's illness. I didn't even understand it for a while, but then things started to get clearer. She had a personality disorder, something like that, and then she was convinced that there was someone who was following her constantly. I tried to tell her many times that it wasn't true, but she never wanted to believe me. Their wedding day was beautiful, an unforgettable day, I can still remember the feeling of joy under my skin, but it only got worse two months later. Diana discovered something about the Nott family that caused her to deteriorate. The day of your birth, I still remember it like it was yesterday. It was cold, it was snowing and she .. "

"Snow in September?"

"September? oh no dear, I'm talking about November, when you were born. She held you close all the time without ever leaving you. No one could come near, no one could touch them, your father was desperate. It was after two months that you and your mother disappeared. Or at least she came back after a few weeks, but without you. She told us that she had made you disappear so there would be no problems with your magic. She… ”Anastasia took a deep breath, still remembering that day. Hermione noticed her glistening eyes and it almost spontaneously took hold of that lady's hand. “I'm sorry, I get lost in memories. She was good, she didn't want to do anything to you, she did it for you, I would have done it too. I'm so sorry Hermione, it was the only way to protect us. She brought you into the Muggle world and entrusted you to this couple she knew. She gave me their address and she told me to take care of their children. She was so upset, I should have known. She kept saying that she had to be done, that she couldn't let people know that she had children, she couldn't. She took her own life before my eyes. I couldn't stop her. I judged her for the first few years, I didn't even have the courage to come and look for you. It was selfish behavior, and the children always need their mother, but then when they reopened her case we discovered that someone had used the Empire on her; it wasn't suicide, she was killed. From that moment on, I would often come out of your house to watch you as you grew up, and there was nothing I could do. I know you were celebrating your birthday in September, apparently that was the date on which, uh, your Muggle parents I could say, they lost a daughter and so to look more

It was more realistic they had chosen that date. They were so good to you, and you had all the attention you could get, so your father and I decided to leave you with them, until the situation changed. Hermione the witches of the Nott family are very powerful, it is said that their power even comes from Morgana herself. There are sides of your power that you don't even know, and it's hard for me to tell you everything now, but trust me, let's try it please, I can show you my memories, whatever you want, but please try it .. "

There were many questions that Hermione wanted to ask such as why only now they had sought her or even what kind of magic they were talking about, or if her father was really a Death Eater and above all she was wondering about Theodore Nott ... should he be her brother then?

“I… Mrs. Nott must understand that it's hard for me to believe, it all seems so strange to me. I have this feeling inside of me that she tells me to trust, even when I'm in this room I feel safe. I feel peace and warmth, but then if I use my mind it all seems so difficult, especially for some situations. ”She bit her lip looking for the right words to use at that moment. “I would like to know more, I would like to know more… would you like one question a day? or maybe I don't know when she… ”she didn't even finish talking about her that the woman held her in her arms and started crying.

“That's fine, one question a day and I'll answer honestly, I promise. Oh my little Hermione, you are finally back "  
and that's how both women indulged in their feelings, their tears.

Anastasia happy to have her granddaughter back, Hermione happy to have some warmth after weeks not knowing whether to trust again

-  


_**Meanwhile North Wing Nott Manor, Lowestoft coasts** _

Thaddeus Nott continued to walk into his study unaware of what was going on among his women. He trusted his mother and knew she would be able to convince Hermione. He was afraid, he didn't know how to behave, and he didn't know how to talk to both of his children.

But above all he was tired, too much.

He had reduced himself to a walking corpse in those years, divided by those orders that he was obliged to follow from his Lord, the continual control of his daughter, and the constant problems of his son.

And then he thought of her, that woman who had snatched away her daughter, that woman that he had loved from her but who had taken away all those smiles that he was forced to see only through the windows of those stupid muggles.

Now that the Dark Lord was back, he had to protect him more daughter than him, he couldn't risk history happening again


	3. I can Try

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello !!  
> if you made it this far, thank you so much for reading my story.  
> It was very important to me to write it, almost like a release valve, so if you need distractions you are in the right place.  
> As for the characters and the context of the story, they are a little different from the real ones. We don't really know much about the Nott family, so I wanted to create my own idea of this family. We certainly know he was a Death Eater, but I have a different thought about it, which you will discover as the story progresses.

_**Greenhouse, Nott Manor- Lowestoft Coasts** _   
_**August 21, 1996** _

It was hard for Hermione to sleep after that day. There was a tornado of emotions inside her, and every day she discovered something new about her "family". It was strange to call them that, but as dark as that castle seemed, she felt protected. She spent the days in the company of grandmother Anastasia who made her visit every corner of the castle, answering all her questions about her, some with more happiness, others with tears in her eyes.

She told her about Theodore Nott, that boy she knew belonged to Malfoy's group; Theodore didn't know the truth, he knew he had a sister but she was taken away at birth. Theodore was not only her brother, but his twin brother. They were both born on November 19, 1979, during the worst snowstorm of those years, first the boy and then her. Mrs Nott, or Grandma Anastasia, told her how everything truly was so magical since once both Hermione and Theodore were placed on their mother's chest, the storm subsided. Anastasia showed her many memories of her, and especially the one from the day of their birth, and it all seemed so surreal.

Anastasia Eloise Hamilton in Nott was a difficult woman to understand. Hermione was still trying to understand her, and she was still afraid to trust her, to open her heart to that woman.  
Hermione has never had a very close relationship with her "Muggle grandparents", they were very cold towards her, they did not behave in the same way with her cousins. Now it was clearer, they knew she wasn't their real niece.  
Anastasia was next to her, from that day on, during her sleepless nights, she always entered her room with a cup of tea and a new book, with a new story or some curiosity about the plants of she. She brought Hermione to discover her greenhouse than her, and whenever she needed to be alone she would run to that place, perhaps because she reminded her of Neville Longbottom, and she felt so closer to her friends than her.Anastasia was a strong woman, who fought so much for her family, and that she continues to do so, but at the same time a woman with a great pain inside her, difficult to explain, even worse to understand.

  
As for Thaddeus Nott, they have not yet spoken alone, there was always Anastasia with him and Hermione, perhaps for fear that her son could ruin something, knowing her impulsiveness, an attitude that she had surely noticed in Hermione.  
He is a man withdrawn, certainly of few words.  
Hermione thought and thought about her friends and her Muggle parents. That weekend she would have had the opportunity to go to them to learn their truth, but she had been forbidden to contact her friends, with whom she will be able to meet once she returns to Hogwarts.

Hermione Jane Granger, or Hermione Athena Nott should say, was split in two.  
She knew she had to help Harry and Ron especially after the events of the previous years, but she wanted to find out the truth, she wanted to understand more of herself.  
Hermione was afraid to start over, she was afraid to trust, she was afraid that after all this new news, she would break inside her.  
And who would have helped her at that moment?  
This was one of those moments when she preferred to be alone. She was sitting among one of Mrs. Anastasia's plants while in her arms she held a book contending several photos of those years, and she wondered if the situation could ever improve for her.

-

  
_**Meanwhile, just a few steps away from Hermione** _

Behind the column of his greenhouse, Thaddeus Nott continued to look at his daughter, managing to recognize more and more details of his now deceased wife.  
Her hair was certainly the same color and frizzy as her mother Anastasia's, but her eyes were Dania's.  
Sometimes, looking at her from a distance, he could see her attitudes too, like always looking around her, the curiosity to know everything, or how she loved that damned room on the sea.  
Thaddeus knew he had made bad choices in his life, but to try and save his family, he would do anything.  
The idea of telling Hermione the whole truth initially frightened him. Theodore often spoke of the intelligence and courage of that girl, and at times he was accompanied by inappropriate comments from that group of her friends. He knew he was smart, smarter than her in his year, and while he didn't want to admit it, he was proud of her, of both of her children.  
He decided to get close to that girl before he wasted his chance.

"Hermione, can I sit here next to you?"  
Hermione lost in her thoughts, immediately got up from her seat, frightened by the arrival of a new person.

  
"I, yes, of course Mr. Nott."

  
"What were you looking at?" she said pointing to the photo binder she held tightly to herself.

  
"Oh excuse me, I don't want to, uh, look like a meddler, but I found this photo binder, and I ..."

  
“Hermione, don't worry. Would you like it if we watch it together? "

  
To say that Hermione was surprised at that question was an understatement. She was the first time she was alone with him. She had only heard of him once during a conversation between Remus and Arthur, but neither of them had confirmed whether or not he was truly a Death Eater or not.

  
"I promise not to bite," Thaddeus said, forcing a smile.

Hermione decided to give him the book, trying to hide the slight shake of her hand.

  
The front page of that photo blinder was a photo of Diana which was then joined by Thaddeus himself. She was a beautiful woman, with long wavy hair and eyes capable of warming even the coldest of hearts.  
Turning the pages, Thaddeus paused on a photo, a photo that Hermione had looked at and re-looked at millions of times. She was able to describe every exact second in that photo, every little feature, every smile.  
It had been taken a few days after giving birth, and while Diana had little Theodore in her arms, Thaddeus had Hermione in his arms.

  
“It was one of the best days of my life you know?  
I was so excited to be a father, but at the same time scared. I am aware that I am not a good father: one of my children sometimes seems to hate me, while the other does not even know whether to consider me a father. Regarding this, you might as well not call me Mr. Nott. "

“This situation is difficult for me. I hope you understand me, until a month ago she lived in a Muggle house, and now I discover instead that I belong to one of the richest thoroughbred families in the wizarding world. There were moments when I felt so alone, even as a child, I felt the lack of something. I've always wanted a brother, and now apparently I have a twin, do you believe it? A twin who might hate me right now. I know twins, and I know how fundamental they are to each other, and I haven't even had the opportunity to know them. He's funny? Is he a Scholar? Does he prefer sweet or savory? I know absolutely nothing! "Hermione breathed deeply, raising her voice in the last sentence, and then she immediately started talking again. “Do you know for me how difficult it has been to face every judgment from so many people in this world? You yourself might believe in ideals that could kill me. Friends of her son, of ... of my brother, have despised me until recently, and now I should be like them?  
How can I be like them? I ... I'm talking too much again apparently " the girl said, wiping the one tear that had escaped her.

Thaddeus did not know what life Hermione had led up to this point. He didn't know anything about Hogwarts, his friends with him or if he had a boyfriend.  
But he had understood one thing. Whether he was on the side of the bad guys or just a father whose son had been taken, Thaddeus Nott realized that his daughter Hermione was no ordinary girl, that she must have faced adversity head on, which prevented her from crying in front of people. .  
She was strong, her Hermione her.  
And he only knew it when he saw her hold back her tears.  
But there was nothing wrong with crying. How many times had he had to hold Diana in her arms after one of her outbursts? Himself he has cried twice in her life: one after seeing her children for the first time and the second time after learning that her crazy wife had not only snatched her daughter from her, but her. she had also killed herself.  
He had been crying, and the crying had helped him get rid of all the pain and start over. He emptied himself of all negativity and resumed his research to try to eliminate that curse that had alienated his family; he would start pretending again to support the man I hated so much, just because he was the only way to get information. For this he pulled her to him and hugged her, happy not to feel rejected.

“When you meet your brother, don't tell him I did this. But Hermione, you are a different person, I haven't had a chance to meet you but… "he wiped her other tears lightly" my child, I know you are strong. It is difficult for me too, there are many things that you are not aware of, but you will know everything. I don't know how to behave, how to open up to you. There has always been Theodore and that's it, and now you are at home, and you still don't trust us. I would like to meet you Hermione, I would like to know your passions and your dreams. I would even like to meet your friends if you ever give me the chance, and I promise you that I will tell you everything in return. I never believed those things, but I had no choice. I want to introduce myself, could you? "

Silence fell between the two of them. Hermione looked at him, wondering what the best move to make was.  
"I can try"


	4. Athena.

_**Muggle London** _   
_**August 25, 1996.** _

During one of the tours of the manor with her grandmother and Mr. Nott, Hermione found their birth certificate in one of the studios near the library.  
It was her confirmation that her whole life had been a lie. She wasn't a stupid person Hermione, she knew that well enough, but to keep thinking this was all just a joke is like it still kept her tied to her Muggle world about her, to that part of her that she thought made her unique. Not that she didn't appreciate Anastasia and Thaddeus, in fact they had spent many moments together, and sometimes she almost felt like she belonged to that place. Plus she was curious to know Theodore's reaction, to understand what the relationship with him would be like, but they had decided together to talk to the boy later, not out of malice, but to get Hermione to metabolize the whole complex.

  
Would she ever come to call that manor home? That certificate confirmed her membership, her real family, and her real surname. It was a San Mugo certificate, and for some strange reason there was also the signature of the Minister on it. It was certainly not a joke, or a plan by Voldemort to bring Harry closer, also because he had discovered many things about the relationship between his father and Voldemort, but his thoughts were not aimed at this currently.  
As she usually did, she wanted to face everything alone, spending sleepless nights, in silence, with only the noise of her thoughts and her paranoia. Would she ever be accepted as this new Hermione? She didn't want to lose Harry, Ron or Ginny, or the whole Weasley family who had supported and helped her during those years. Now they would no longer be her family of hers in the wizarding world, as she apparently actually had one of her own.  
Hermione stole the certificate, if it can be defined as stealing since she moved it from that room to what she had begun to define as her room (also because there were now all her clothes, the books she had taken from the huge library and then that photo of his real family a few days after his birth) and in those four nights before his parents' meeting, he had read and reread those two names together.

  
_"Hermione ATHENA Nott and Theodore ACHILEAS Nott."_   
_November 19, 1979._

Apparently in her mother's family, as explained to her by Thaddeus, there was a tradition of using names of deities. While the first names had been chosen by her father, Diana had chosen Athena and Achileas as middle names.  
The goddess Athena is the goddess symbol of wisdom, cunning and cunning, and goddess of war. Athena is Zeus's favorite daughter, she is born from her father's head and already armed with her. Her way of fighting resembles that of a chess player: she is cold, lucid and she thinks carefully about the moves to be made.  
The Greek hero Achileas, legendary of the Trojan War and protagonist of the Iliad.  
He possesses the characteristics of the traditional hero, that is physical strength, moral greatness, contempt for danger, but above all he overcomes adversity by trusting in courage and strength.  
It must have been a random choice of names, but at that moment she hermione couldn't help but think of that sentence on one of the books she took from the library. “Cold, lucid, think carefully”.

"Hermione, are you sure you want to go in alone?" she asked her grandmother who kept stroking her hair, while all three of her were out of the house of Hermione's "Muggle parents".  
"You can wait for me out here, I want to be alone with them" and so she said she left the two out of her in the driveway of her childhood home. She knew that her grandmother and her father felt pain at being in that neighborhood, but not from some strange prejudice, but because that was where she grew up, far from them.  
The Granger house was located in a suburb on the outskirts of London. It was a simple two-story house, which had housed Hermione for 17 years of life, but now she the girl she felt so alien. Knocking on the front door, she could no longer feel the warmth of her grandmother Anastasia, nor even the strangely reassuring presence of Thaddeus.  
It was another one of those events in her life that she had to face bravely.  
The door was opened by Jane Granger, who with a surprised face invited her to enter; Hermione followed her not before looking behind her for the last ounce of strength. She could do it.

"Hermione, we weren't expecting you," her mother said, or Jane, or at least the woman who raised her, this time with a different look; no longer the sweet one of a mother to a daughter, while Matthew sat down in her usual armchair. The house had changed. Not only because Hermione could no longer feel that warmth, but her things were gone.  
"You weren't expecting me? Don't you want to explain anything to me? I thought that you .. "

“Your crazy real parents didn't tell you the story? Well apparently it's up to us to do the hard work. " Jane opened one of the drawers of the cabinet near the sofa and took out a binder, then sat down next to her husband.

“A few months before your arrival in the family, Matthew and I had a daughter in September. It was your mother who killed her, you know? Did she ever tell you? Apparently not. She was the one who killed our baby, and we could do absolutely nothing. Why did she do it? Well she never explained it, but she took away our pain, with a strange magic, but you can't make the feeling of emptiness disappear in a couple of parents who couldn't wait to be able to hold their baby close. . She told us that she would bring us a new baby, a baby girl, that we would have to raise as if she were our own daughter. “Matthew started turning that binder pausing on a page, then handing it to Hermione.

  
The girl could not believe that all this had really happened, and with trembling hands she looked at that page. There was blood on it.  
It was a blood pact.  
She had never seen one, but she had read something in the library last year. It was a witch or a wizard who set the conditions, while the other party could only accept or not. But she didn't know that this was also possible with Muggles.

  
“I don't know what that crazy woman called that paper, I just know it was our undoing. We really loved you Hermione, and that's why I want to tell you the whole truth. " This time the woman's eyes became bright as she tried to find the right words to use. At this point it was Matthew who spoke.

  
“We always behaved well with you, we treated you like someone from our family, but we knew within ourselves that it wasn't really like that. We have not been able to tell you anything, ever. We were forced. We were forced to sign that damn paper, I didn't think a witch could really be that powerful. His rules included the fact that we couldn't tell you anything, nothing at all. We were supposed to treat you like our little girl, like you really were ours, but you understand the pain was too much Hermione. You are a smart girl, and a good one, but we can't continue like this. If we had said something wrong, if only we had hurt you, she would have killed us. She would kill every member of our family, every person we loved. "  
The pain Hermione felt was inexplicable. Pain along with anger is something capable of destroying you inside. Here all the happy moments had been just obligations, it was just the knowledge of having to defend their family, where little Hermione was not included.

"And why are you telling me all this now?" Her pride in that moment was something greater. She couldn't show these people the pain she felt.  
How does it feel to be rejected by those who raised you? From those who gave you values?

- _Hermione, be cold, lucid and think carefully_ \- was what was repeated in her head.

“In that subspecies of contract she said that the moment your real family came to get you, the contract would no longer be valid. Apparently the moment you reunited with your real parents, we were freed from this little theater your mother put on. “It was Jane who spoke this time, perhaps with a little contempt in her voice.

"Diana, my mother, died after leaving me here with you." Hermione said too quickly, taking a deep breath before continuing.  
 _-Hermione, be cool, clear-headed and think carefully-_

  
“You don't… .I… .You never wanted me with you? “That moment she started biting her lip, already hearing her voice tremble slightly.  
She couldn't accept reality, and she never imagined she would say such things to those people. They had always been so good, so helpful, and now she was as if she didn't care anymore.

“Oh Hermione dear, you have been with us all these years, we love you, but I hope you understand how difficult this is for us. We couldn't live the life we wanted, and this is also your fault. We will leave for Australia next month to restart .... "

Hermione could no longer hear the words coming out of Matthew's mouth. She could see her lips moving, but it was all so fuzzy, all so different, all so cold.  
There were no more memories of her in the room; her walls no longer had photos of her, there was no longer anything that could connect that house of hers to her childhood. It was empty and cold.  
Grandma Anastasia said she saw Hermione always so happy with that pair of Muggles, she thought it was the right family for her granddaughter, but it wasn't. All a big lie.

Hermione got up from the sofa, unable to hear anything anymore. She took her wand and burned that paper that contained that damned blood pactHow could she have?  
 _-Hermione, be cool, clear-headed and think carefully-_

"Oblivate" were her last words that she said pointing her wand at her no longer parents, and leaving that house, not wanting to put a foot inside her anymore.

Once outside, she could no longer keep that pain inside her. She collapsed to the ground, screaming, trying to push all those emotions away from her.  
Before I passed out, I felt only the arms of her father, her real father, her real family, pick her up and whisper "my little warrior, let's go home."

**Author's Note:**

> HI!!  
> I have a love / hate relationship with this story. It's my first story I wrote for myself, just for "fun". Yes, I wrote it first for me, to overcome my dark moment and to vent my creativity. I'm still very undecided about some things, I know it's not very well written, but I was persuaded to publish it.   
> I hope you like this story and that it helps you, a bit like it did me, to imagine yourself in another reality.  
> It's a Dramione fan fiction, so if you don't like this couple this is your chance to escape. I don't even know how to properly describe Draco and Hermione's relationship in this story  
> However, if anyone ever reads this story, let me know what you think, and above all what there is to be right. I love comments that are positive or negative, or above all constructive. It's something I wrote a while ago, and I wouldn't want to change it because it was my thoughts of the time.
> 
> thank you


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